University pauses Mexican-American Studies program over low enrollment, students protest

The Mexican-American Studies program had two students enrolled when it was paused.

The program has not been cancelled, but students and alumni are protesting while plans are underway to revitalize the program.

Students and alumni have planned a series of protests in response to the University of Northern Colorado suspending its Mexican-American Studies program because of low enrollment.

Students walked around the Greeley, Colo., campus on Thurs., April 30, and demanded the university reinstate the program, which had two enrollees before its cancellation. The students planned another protest for May 1.

"We feel that this is a part of our culture."

Nate Haas, a spokesman for UNC, told Campus Reform that the “fall of 2015 admission to the Mexican-American Studies (MAS) major is on pause while a plan is developed to revitalize the program.”

“The program is not closed, nor has it been cancelled,” Haas said.

The two students currently enrolled in the major will be provided with the resources and appropriate classes to finish their degree in the program, and the university will continue to offer MAS courses, Haas said.

According to Haas, the university will continue to offer a minor in Mexican-American Studies, and the university is working to revitalize the program as whole.

Despite the university remaining vocal in its efforts to keep the program open long-term, many students and alumni have maintained their disapproval.

According to Colorado News 9, a local NBC affiliate, students and alumni both feel that the Mexican-American Studies program is an important part of the UNC climate and said the suspension was an insult to Latino culture.

"We feel that this is a part of our culture," NereidaSerrano told News 9. "In the community, there's so many minorities here, but UNC is pushing that away."

According to a report from UNC, 61 percent of students are white, 14 percent of students are Hispanic, and three percent of students are African-American.

UNC has said reopening the major in the fall is a possibility, and school administrators are working towards that goal.

Greta Dryer is a Michigan Campus Correspondent, and reports liberal bias and abuse on campus for Campus Reform. Greta is a sophomore at Eastern Michigan University, where she is double majoring in business management and social work with a minor in Spanish. Greta is also an active member of EMU’s Student’s For Life Club as well as EMU’s InterVarsity Christian Fellowship group.

CampusReform.org is a project of the Leadership Institute. The Leadership Institute is a non-partisan educational organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a public foundation operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code. The Leadership Institute does not endorse, support, or oppose candidates or proposed legislation. The Institute has an open admissions policy; all programs are open to the public. Contributions to the Leadership Institute by individuals, corporations, and foundations are tax deductible.
WEB25